Briggs & Stratton 6S - A Beginnig

[b.lindsey]

Chaffe, I will try to work on that detail tomorrow, didn.t have a lot of time today but did at least get the lower fin on the pulley side cut off, angled and pretty well blended into the web that angles up to it. See the pictures below.

 

[steamer]

Take your time....DON'T RUSH NOW!

This is the point when parts get trashed.......knock on wood

Dave

 

[b.lindsey]

Perish the thought Dave!! I don.t even want to think about that scenario. The old adage about measuring twice and cutting once has now morphed into measure two dozen times and cut slowly and carefully and in very small steps...lol.

Thanks for checking in.

Bill

 

[rake60]

Amazing progress Bill!

From day 1 of this build I was wondering how you could possibly cut the fins.

When the original engines were made, the Briggs engineers had to make a mold to
pour those odd shapes. They were working with wax that could be melted off for
a re-try if things didn't go quite to plan.

I'll say it again, AMAZING! :bow:

Rick

 

[b.lindsey]

Thanks Rick, as you know the original fins were tapered slightly. I didn't go quite that far...as I'm sure they did that in the patterns for some draft. I think though that once I round the outer edges of the fins slightly they will look very close to the cast original. As I have said before, with each step, I have more and more respect for the B&S engineers back in the 40's and 50's !!!

Bill

 

[cfellows]

Looking great, Bill! I admire your patience and attention to detail. Next maybe you could build a 2X model??

Chuck

 

[b.lindsey]

Well Chuck...2X would put it back to the original size...so I think I will just let the restored 6S from which this one was modeled suffice for that. Maybe some other versions of Briggs engines though at half scale. I am certainly not a Briggs expert like Rick and others, but it seems that a lot of the components didn't change too drastically...more the blocks, carbs, air filter shapes, etc. so it wouldn't be nearly as daunting I don't think as starting from scratch. Then too, I already have a couple of projects I am anxious to get on to once this one is finished.

Bill

 

[b.lindsey]

Over the course of Friday and this weekend I managed to round the area under the fins on the front of the crankcase (except for the remaining ledge as shown in the first photo. That is going to require setting the rotary table upright and finishing it off with a ball nose end mill (hopefully tomorrow). The other thing was the raised mounting areas for both the carb and muffler. The results are shown in the next three photos. Overall this came out ok and as shown will be largely hidden by the carb and muffler anyway. Even so they are there as true to the original as practical.

 

[steamer]

Looking great Bill!

You keep whittling...I'll keep watching! ;D

Dave

 

[stevehuckss396]

Really, really, really nice!!

 

[gbritnell]

Exquisite!!!!! Thm:

 

[b.lindsey]

Thanks Dave, Steve, and George. Still plugging away but making progress. The other issue has been trying to draw and dimension the crankcase to the point where the drawings are useable without looking too "busy." That seems to take as much time or more than the actual machining. Thank you all for having a look and congratulations to each of you for your ongoing or recently completed (George) projects. They have all been an inspiration to me!!

Bill

 

[arnoldb]

:bow: :bow: Really nice work Bill...

Kind regards, Arnold
(At a loss for new adjectives to use )

 

[b.lindsey]

Thanks Arnold, just the fact that you and others look in is very gratifying...so thanks for that.

Bill

 

[b.lindsey]

A couple more small things checked off the list...the gasket for the carb mount (photo 1), rounding the fins on the pulley side of the crankcase (photoo 2), and shortening the fins on the flywheel side of the crankcase (photos 3 & 4). Tomorrow I want to get the cylinder head mounting bolt holes drilled in the top of the crankcase.

 

[kustomkb]

Man, is that ever nice!

Beautiful work Bill.

 

[Deanofid]

Awright, fess up, Bill. You actually work the night shift at Briggs & Stratton, right? ;D
Thm:

 

[metalmad]

just gets better and better Bill :bow: :bow:
Pete

 

[b.lindsey]

Kevin and Pete thanks for the nice words....much appreciated.
Dean...if that were true and at the pace I am going, B & S would have been broke years ago :big: But Rome wasn't built in a day...or so someone said long ago...lol

Bill

 

[b.lindsey]

Today I carefully lined up the head on the cylinder and sort of locked it in place with some tape long enough to transfer the 6 hole locations to the top of the crankcase (photo 1). Then after drilling and tapping I was pleasantly surprised at how well the holes lined up. Nothing much to show really. Photos 2 & 3 just show two views of the head bolted to the crankcase. Another check mark ticked off and on to some more stock removal in the area of the carb mount.

Photo 2 makes it look like the sides of the fins are all chewed up. What is actually showing are the machine marks on the top of the fins from the slotting saw and the way the lighting hits them.